Age and injury have taken their toll on Venus and Serena Williams over the past few years. So it was really nice to see Venus advancing to the Wimbledon finals today. She'll face a relative unknown, Marion Bartoli of France who upset top-ranked Justine Henin.
Win or lose tomorrow, Venus's success at Wimbledon and her sister Serena's victory at the Australian Open last January signals a return to form to the dynamic tennis duo. Injuries have kept them out of the tennis spotlight the past few years and in their absence, no American woman has really stepped forward to compete with the likes of Henin and Sharapova on the international level.
Watching Venus today, I have to believe that many tennis fans actually missed seeing her and Serena at the Grand Slam competitions, and in fact, how much this sport needs them. Current top players like Henin and Sharapova are more refined and polite, while Venus and Serena can be brash and controversial. But love them or hate them, they bring a lot of life to the sport.
Showing posts with label Serena Williams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Serena Williams. Show all posts
Friday, July 06, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Who’s Your Favorite Sports Star?
If you’re like most sports fans, Tiger Woods and Serena Williams top your list of favorite sports stars, according to Harris Interactive’s annual survey.
Tiger Woods claimed the top spot for the second consecutive year. Yankees short stop Derek Jeter, Michael Jordan, Packer quarterback Brett Favre and Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James round out the top 5 among the men’s athletes. Barry Bonds, Shaquille O’Neal, and Jeff Gordon dropped out of the top 10 list. Conspicuously absent is the world’s number one tennis player, Roger Federer.
On the women’s list, Williams was followed by Danica Patrick, Venus Williams, soccer mama Mia Hamm and Maria Sharapova to round out the top 5. New to the list was boxer Layla Ali, perhaps on name recognition alone based on her performance on “Dancing with the Stars.” Figure skater Sacha Cohen dropped out of the ladies’ top 10 list.
Perhaps it’s time for the pollsters to eliminate the names of athletes who are not currently active in their respective sport. Jordan was a great player but to still be named among the favorite men’s sports stars when he has not played b-ball in nearly a decade seems unfair to other athletes who are making a huge name for themselves, such as Federer and swimming sensation Michael Phelps. Ditto for the women’s list. We have probably seen the last of Anna Kournakova and Michelle Kwan, and Mia Hamm. It may be time to add a few new faces, such as skater Kimmie Meissner, number one women’s golfer Lorena Ochoa, or Candace Parker of the Tennessee Volunteers.
Tiger Woods claimed the top spot for the second consecutive year. Yankees short stop Derek Jeter, Michael Jordan, Packer quarterback Brett Favre and Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James round out the top 5 among the men’s athletes. Barry Bonds, Shaquille O’Neal, and Jeff Gordon dropped out of the top 10 list. Conspicuously absent is the world’s number one tennis player, Roger Federer.
On the women’s list, Williams was followed by Danica Patrick, Venus Williams, soccer mama Mia Hamm and Maria Sharapova to round out the top 5. New to the list was boxer Layla Ali, perhaps on name recognition alone based on her performance on “Dancing with the Stars.” Figure skater Sacha Cohen dropped out of the ladies’ top 10 list.
Perhaps it’s time for the pollsters to eliminate the names of athletes who are not currently active in their respective sport. Jordan was a great player but to still be named among the favorite men’s sports stars when he has not played b-ball in nearly a decade seems unfair to other athletes who are making a huge name for themselves, such as Federer and swimming sensation Michael Phelps. Ditto for the women’s list. We have probably seen the last of Anna Kournakova and Michelle Kwan, and Mia Hamm. It may be time to add a few new faces, such as skater Kimmie Meissner, number one women’s golfer Lorena Ochoa, or Candace Parker of the Tennessee Volunteers.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Serena's "Bootylicious" Body
Despite her surprising victory in the Australian Open last weekend, Serena Williams still had to respond to criticism about her weight and physical appearance. Her comments in this week's issue of Sports Illustrated showed that she's not afraid of telling it like it is.
"[It's] just because I have large bosoms and a big ass," she told SI. "I think if I were not to eat for two years, I still wouldn't be a size two. We're living in the Mary-Kate Olsen world. I'm just not built that way. I'm bootylicious, and that's how it's always going to be."
Bootylicious? Is that what they call full-figured women these days?
"[It's] just because I have large bosoms and a big ass," she told SI. "I think if I were not to eat for two years, I still wouldn't be a size two. We're living in the Mary-Kate Olsen world. I'm just not built that way. I'm bootylicious, and that's how it's always going to be."
Bootylicious? Is that what they call full-figured women these days?
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Welcome Back, Serena
It was a welcome sight to see Serena Williams at the top of her game during the Australian Open last weekend. After her brilliant victory over Maria Sharapova (6-1, 6-2) to win the title, Williams vaulted 67 places in the WTA rankings to 14. She entered the tournament ranked 81 and unseeded -- unfamiliar territory for Williams. Her defeat of Sharapova left no doubt that she had returned to her old form. It was encouraging to see in light of the fact that American women have largely been absent from the top of the standing for the past year because of injury. The victory also dispelled much of the criticism Williams received about being overweight and out of shape. Hopefully this is the shot in the arm that the American women need to regain their world dominance.
American Men Improve; Federer Still the Best
On the men’s side, Andy Roddick played superbly, showing how much he has improved his game and his mental attitude since working with his new coach Jimmy Connors. That is, until he met Roger Federer. Their showdown in the semifinals was supposed to show just how much Roddick had closed the gap between the two of them. However, Federer, who has been at the top of his game for the last three seasons, sliced up Roddick with amazing precision and eliminated the top American men’s player. Federer went on to win the Australian Open, his 10th Grand Slam title. He was the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win a tournament without losing a single set. It makes you wonder if anyone can beat this guy.
American Men Improve; Federer Still the Best
On the men’s side, Andy Roddick played superbly, showing how much he has improved his game and his mental attitude since working with his new coach Jimmy Connors. That is, until he met Roger Federer. Their showdown in the semifinals was supposed to show just how much Roddick had closed the gap between the two of them. However, Federer, who has been at the top of his game for the last three seasons, sliced up Roddick with amazing precision and eliminated the top American men’s player. Federer went on to win the Australian Open, his 10th Grand Slam title. He was the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win a tournament without losing a single set. It makes you wonder if anyone can beat this guy.
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